Eye on Extremism
September 18, 2019
CNN:
At Least 48 People Killed In Two Separate Bomb Attacks In
Afghanistan
“At least 48 people have been killed in two separate suicide
attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday. In Parwan province, to the north of
Kabul, a Taliban suicide bomber targeted an election campaign rally
where Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani was set to speak, killing 26
people and wounding 42. Ghani was not hurt in the attack which
happened at a checkpoint near the rally venue, according to Wahida
Shahkar, a spokesperson for the governor of Parwan. Nasrat Rahimi,
spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Interior, said that of the 26
people killed 22 were civilians and four were security staff. Women
and children were among the victims, Rahimi confirmed. The Taliban
claimed responsibility for the attack in a media message from
spokesman Zabiullah Mojahid. In a separate incident hours later, a
suicide bomb attack near the US embassy in central Kabul killed 22
people.”
CBS
News: American Inside Syrian Prison Says He Was Recruited To ISIS
Online
“In northern Syria, prisoners are filled to the point of bursting,
with foreign ISIS fighters. They want to return to their home
countries, but nobody wants them. CBS News was given rare access to
one of these prisons, the first time a television crew has been
allowed in. It's home to 5,000 ISIS captives, including ISIS leaders
and the men who built their deadly bombs, according to the guards. But
it's not where CBS News expected to find a 22-year-old man from
Minneapolis. Abdelhamid Al-Madioum agreed to tell his story, but we
can't know for sure whether he was speaking freely. He said he was
recruited to ISIS through a contact on Twitter and was bombarded with
ISIS propaganda videos. Not the ones showing gruesome beheadings, but
ones explaining that ISIS was helping Muslims. He said he entered ISIS
territory in 2015, hoping to become a doctor.”
The
Jerusalem Post: At Least 10 Killed In Airstrikes On Pro-Iranian
Militia In Syria
“At least 10 militants were killed in airstrikes on Monday night by
unidentified aircraft on pro-Iranian militias in Albukamal in Syria
near the Iraqi border, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights. The raid targeted an ammunition depot and two other sites
belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces or other pro-Iranian
factions in the area. Heavy material damage and 10 deaths were
reported. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the
death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured were in serious
condition. The director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
stated that according to the information that they have, the
airstrikes were likely carried out by Israel. Later on Tuesday, the
Lebanese Al Mayadeen news reported that four airstrikes targeted sites
of Iraqi factions near the Iraq-Syria border. No injuries were
reported in the strike. Al Hadath reported that the remains of 16
Iraqi militants killed in the attacks in Albukamal arrived in Iraq on
Tuesday.”
The
New York Times: To Find Clues In Saudi Oil Attacks, U.S. Examines
Missile And Drone Parts
“American investigators are examining missile circuit boards
recovered after strikes against Saudi oil facilities to determine the
trajectory of the attack — and whether it originated from Iran — as
the Trump administration debates how, and whether, to
retaliate. Analysts are poring over satellite imagery of the damage
sites, and assessing radar tracks of at least some of the low-flying
cruise missiles that were used. Communication intercepts from before
and after the attacks are being reviewed to see if they implicate
Iranian officials. Perhaps most important, forensic analysis is
underway of missile and drone parts from the attack sites. The Saudis
have recovered pristine circuit boards from one of the cruise missiles
that fell short of its target, providing forensics specialists the
possibility of tracing the missile’s point of origin, according to a
senior American official briefed on the intelligence.”
The
Chicago Tribune: Facebook Auto-Generating Pages For Islamic State,
Al-Qaida
“In the face of criticism that Facebook is not doing enough to
combat extremist messaging, the company likes to say that its
automated systems remove the vast majority of prohibited content
glorifying the Islamic State group and al-Qaida before it's reported.
But a whistleblower's complaint shows that Facebook itself has
inadvertently provided the two extremist groups with a networking and
recruitment tool by producing dozens of pages in their names. The
social networking company appears to have made little progress on the
issue in the four months since The Associated Press detailed how pages
that Facebook auto-generates for businesses are aiding Middle East
extremists and white supremacists in the United States. On Wednesday,
U.S. senators on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation will be questioning representatives from social media
companies, including Monika Bickert, who heads Facebooks efforts to
stem extremist messaging.”
Motherboard:
Neo-Nazis Are Glorifying Osama Bin Laden
“Joshua Fisher-Birch, a research analyst at the Counter Extremism
Project, told VICE that it makes sense that extreme white supremacist
groups would parrot ISIS or al Qaeda propaganda because they both
endorse the use of extreme violence for ideological ends. "ISIS and al
Qaeda have a great deal of content, including visually arresting
images and videos, as well as tactical and strategic guidance obtained
from years of fighting insurgencies and committing acts of terrorism,"
said Fisher-Birch. "Violent white supremacist groups have similar
issues as their jihadist counterparts, such as recruitment, the
maintenance of an online community, the promotion of ideological and
tactical education, and ultimately, inspiring action."
United States
The
Hill: We Need The Full Picture On Domestic Terrorism
“Imagine that you have been given a jigsaw puzzle to solve without
the reference picture on the box and without all the necessary pieces.
Clearly this is an absurd—and impossible—task. But when it comes to
understanding the full picture of domestic terrorism, Congress and the
American people are trapped in this futile exercise. In March, we
learned—from unpublished FBI data leaked to the press—that there were
more arrests tied to domestic terrorism than to international
terrorism in 2017 and 2018. In May, the counterterrorism lead for the
FBI testified before my committee that the FBI is currently pursuing
around 850 active domestic terrorism investigations across the
country. This summer, the FBI director told Congress that the number
of arrests linked to domestic terrorism was on par with the number of
arrests linked to international terrorism in the last nine months.
These are some of the puzzle pieces – but its clear that we do not
have enough information for a clear picture of this persistent threat.
These revelations are punctuated by the real-life horror of domestic
terrorist attacks. El Paso. Gilroy. Poway. Pittsburgh.
Charlottesville. Charleston. Oak Creek. So many more. Each expose
another piece of the puzzle.”
New
York Daily News: Trial Begins For Brooklyn Man Accused Of Giving Cash
To ISIS Recruit
“It was a three-minute crime with a 30-year penalty, a prosecutor
said Tuesday in the trial of a Brooklyn man accused of financing a
terrorist operation. Opening arguments began in the trial of Dilkhayot
Kasimov, who is accused of providing $1,600 to a co-conspirator at an
airport in 2015. "Late on a night in February, 2015, that man drove to
JFK in Queens,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Haggans told jurors in
Brooklyn Federal Court. “The defendant was trying to find a man, a man
who was trying to board a plane. He found the man. He handed him a
stack of cash. That man intended to fly to Syria. He wanted to join
ISIS. "It is a crime to give money to a fighter in a terrorist
organization,” Haggans said. “And that is why we are here today.”
Haggans said the trial will give jurors insight into how ISIS
recruited fighters from all over the world, including the U.S. Haggans
said co-conspirator Akhror Saidakhmeto and his roommate wanted to join
ISIS, and that Kasimov helped them. Kasimo’s lawyer, Abraham
Rubert-Schewel, asked jurors to keep an open mind.”
Syria
CBS
News: ISIS Suspects In Overcrowded Syrian Prison Tell CBS News They're
Americans
“A U.S.-backed Syrian militia running a prison packed with
thousands of alleged ISIS fighters is struggling to keep control of
the detainees. The prisoners want to return to their home countries,
and their jailers warn that if something isn't done to relieve the
burden, the accused terrorists could end up back in the fight. The
militia let CBS News correspondent Holly Williams and her team inside
the high-security prison in northeast Syria — the first time a
television camera has been allowed in. They wouldn't even permit video
showing the outside of the facility, given the tense security
situation in the region. President Trump has called on European
countries to bring home their nationals who joined ISIS in Syria, so
it was a surprise for Williams to find prisoners who said they were
American. Williams said the prison is like the United Nations — she
met people from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany — but everyone
there is accused of joining ISIS. They signed up for an Islamic
paradise but ended up living packed like sardines in cells, some of
them with terrible injuries from the battlefield. "Are you American?"
Williams asked one man through a cell door. "Yes," he replied. Lirim
Sylejmani told CBS News that he left his home in Chicago to live under
ISIS in 2015, and he's unrepentant.”
Al
Jazeera: 10 Iran-Backed Fighters Killed In Syria Attack:
Report
“A missile attack by an unidentified aircraft hit a position near a
Syrian government-held town along the Iraqi border overnight on
Tuesday, reportedly killing at least 10 Iran-backed fighters. The
attack took place in Al Bukamal, in the eastern Syrian province of
Deir Az Zor, security officials said. Reuters news agency reported the
raid was carried out by unmanned aerial vehicle. However, according to
the report, it caused no casualties. The missile hit a weapons depot
belonging to Iraqi factions operating under the banner of the Popular
Mobilization Forces, the name given to mainly Shia militias in Iraq
that are backed by Iran. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights and Deir Ezzor 24, an activist collective, said 10
fighters were killed. Iraqi officials confirmed the death toll to the
Associated Press news agency. It was the latest in a series of
unclaimed attacks inside Iraq and along the border
with Syria targeting Iran-backed militias. Last week, unknown
warplanes targeted an arms depot and Iranian-backed militia posts in
Al Bukamal, killing at least 18 fighters. A Syrian security official
said Israeli jets were behind Tuesday's attack, but denied there were
casualties. US officials confirmed Israel was behind at least one of
the recent attacks inside Iraq.”
Iran
Reuters:
Iran Says It Held Talks With Afghanistan's
Taliban
“Iran held talks with a delegation from Afghanistan’s Taliban, the
Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, a week after peace talks between the
United States and the Islamist insurgents collapsed. Iran said in
December it had been meeting with Taliban representatives with the
knowledge of the Afghan government, after reports of U.S.-Taliban
talks about a ceasefire and a possible withdrawal of foreign troops.
Last week, the U.S.-Taliban talks collapsed and fighting resurged. The
two sides had been seeking to reach an accord on the withdrawal of
thousands of American troops from Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban
security guarantees. “In the framework of Iran’s comprehensive
consultations with all parties in Afghanistan, a Taliban political
delegation visited our country recently to discuss the latest
developments in Afghanistan with...Iranian officials,” Foreign
Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi was quoted as saying by state media.
Mousavi did not give further details. The U.S.-Taliban negotiations,
which did not include the Afghan government, were intended as a
prelude to wider peace talks to end more than 40 years of war in
Afghanistan.”
The
Jerusalem Post: US Embassy Says Pro-Iran Business Event Funds
Terrorism In Berlin
“The US embassy in Berlin announced that a slated pro-Iranian
regime business conference on Thursday in Berlin will fund terrorism.
The event includes members of the German government and Klaus Ernst, a
MP from the largely anti-Israel Left Party in the
Bundestag."Thursday’s conference by the Maleki Corporate Group to
promote trade with the Iranian regime is a dangerous move that will
fund terrorism and undermine US sanctions, " the embassy tweeted on
Tuesday. Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany, said in a
statement that "Iran perpetuates gross human rights abuses against its
own citizens, has planned and carried out terror attacks and
assassinations on European soil, and is facilitating Assad's war
crimes in Syria. Now is not the time to promote business deals that
will only send euros to the regime's coffers at the expense of the
Iranian people." The European organization, Stop the Bomb, which seeks
to end the Iranian regime's illicit nuclear weapons program, is
scheduled to protest the business conference. The Maleki Corporate
Group GmbH is holding their 8th Banking and Business Forum Iran
Europe on September 19 and 20 at the Maritim Hotel in Berlin.”
The
New York Times: Hard-Liners In Iran See No Drawback To Bellicose
Strategy
“President Trump appeared to be softening toward Iran. He had
broken with his administration’s leading advocate of confrontation,
signaled a willingness to meet personally with his Iranian
counterpart, and reportedly considered relaxing some sanctions. But
Iran, American officials say, responded with violence. The officials
have accused Iran of orchestrating or even starting a major attack on
Saturday against critical Saudi Arabian oil installations, jolting
international energy markets and humiliating a key American ally. The
slap-the-other-cheek tactic is hardly surprising, Iranian scholars
say. Tehran, they said, has concluded that its recent aggressions have
effectively strengthened its leverage with the West and in the region.
And despite his occasional outburst of threats, Mr. Trump is deeply
reluctant to risk an open-ended military confrontation in the Middle
East that would endanger world oil supplies in the middle of a
re-election campaign. “Iranian hard-liners consider Trump’s
inconsistency to be weakness,” said Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian
history at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. For Iranian
hard-liners, he said, “their policy of ‘maximum resistance’ is
working.”
CNN:
Australian Academic Detained In Iran Sentenced To 10 Years In
Prison
“An Australian university lecturer detained in Iran has been
sentenced to 10 years in prison for spying, a source with knowledge of
the matter told CNN Wednesday. Last week, the Australian government
confirmed that University of Melbourne lecturer Kylie Moore-Gilbert
was one of three Australian nationals currently detained in Iran.
Speaking Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sayyed Abas
Mousavi said that one Australian "has been sentenced to prison last
year for espionage." The following day, however, Iranian judiciary
spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili appeared to contradict his colleague,
saying Moore-Gilbert had been "spying for another country," but said
her case still had to go to trial. Responding to Esmaili's comments,
the source reiterated to CNN that Moore-Gilbert -- a
British-Australian dual citizen -- had already been tried and
sentenced to ten years in prison. She has already been held in Iran
for almost a year, the source said. A specialist in Middle Eastern
politics, Moore-Gilbert had begun a course in the Iranian city of Qom
last year, according to Australian state broadcaster ABC.”
Reuters:
Iran Tells U.S.: Response To Any Attack 'Won't Be Limited To Its
Source'
“Iran’s retaliation to any military attack will not be “limited to
its source,” Tehran said in an official note to Washington, Iran’s
semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday. “In an official
note to the United States via Swiss embassy, Iran has reiterated that
it was not behind attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and it has
warned that any move by America against Iran will get immediate
reaction,” ISNA reported.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Tehran Tries To Show High Costs Of U.S.’s
‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign
“As the Trump administration has worked to choke off Iran’s oil
exports and strangle its economy, Tehran has sought to raise the costs
of the U.S.’s “maximum pressure” campaign. Last weekend’s fiery attack
on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry did just that, sending oil prices
soaring and reminding America and its allies of the risks to global
energy markets of a conflict in the Persian Gulf. Following the
attack, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Tuesday held open the
door to diplomacy but only if the Trump administration abandons its
sanctions. “If the U.S. took back its words and repented, and returned
to the nuclear deal, then it too can join the members of the deal and
negotiate with Iran,” he said in a televised lecture. “Otherwise,
there will be no talks, on any level.” U.S. officials say they have
evidence Iran carried out the assault with cruise missiles fired from
its own territory. Iran has denied any involvement."
Iraq
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Intelligence Arrest Five Islamic State Jihadists In
Diyala
“Iraqi military intelligence forces announced on Tuesday that five
Islamic State terrorists were arrested in the eastern province of
Diyala. “Acting on intelligence information, troops of the Iraqi
Military Intelligence Directorate caught five Islamic State terrorists
in Mandali district in Diyala,” Alsumaria News quoted the directorate
as saying in a press release. “The terrorists were referred to the
competent authorities for interrogation,” the statement read. Iraq
declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in
November 2017 with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western
borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq. IS
declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring
Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led
international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016
to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably
the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.”
Afghanistan
Reuters:
Taliban Attacks Kill 48, Afghan Leader Unhurt As Bomber Targets
Rally
“Taliban suicide bombers killed 48 people in two separate attacks
in Afghanistan on Tuesday, the deadliest taking place near an election
rally by President Ashraf Ghani, though he was unhurt. The attacks
happened 11 days before Afghanistan’s presidential election, which
Taliban commanders have vowed to violently disrupt, and follow
collapsed peace talks between the United States and the insurgent
group. Ghani, who is seeking a second five-year term in voting on
Sept. 28, was due to address a rally in Charikar, the capital of
central Parwan province, when a suicide bomber attacked the
gathering. The blast killed 26 people and wounded 42, said Nasrat
Rahimi, spokesman for the interior ministry. “When the people were
entering the police camp, an old man riding a motorcycle arrived on
the highway and detonated his explosives, causing casualties,” said
Parwan province’s police chief Mohammad Mahfooz Walizada. In the wake
of the attack, bodies littered the dusty ground as smoke rose from the
site of the explosion, a giant blue billboard bearing the face of
Ghani’s running mate Amrullah Saleh looming over the scene. With
sirens wailing, rescuers rushed to lift the wounded into the backs of
pick-up trucks for evacuation.”
Reuters:
Afghan President Sees His Chance After Collapse Of U.S.-Taliban
Talks
“Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had no more than 20 minutes to study
a draft accord between the United States and the Taliban on pulling
thousands of U.S. troops out of his country, but upcoming elections
could put him back at the heart of talks to end decades of war. What
he read in the draft outlining the now collapsed deal left Ghani and
his officials - who were shut out of the talks by the Taliban refusal
to negotiate with what they considered an illegitimate “puppet” regime
- badly shaken and resentful, said a senior Kabul official close to
the Afghan leader. “Doesn’t this look like surrender to the Taliban?”
Ghani asked Zalmay Khalilzad, the veteran Afghan-born diplomat who led
negotiations for Washington, at a meeting the two held immediately
afterwards, according to the source who was present. The Islamist
militant group that ruled Afghanistan for five years has killed
thousands of Afghan soldiers and civilians since it was toppled by
U.S.-led forces in 2001, and the attacks have continued throughout its
negotiations with Washington. In response to Ghani’s doubts, the
Afghan official said Khalilzad replied: “This is the best deal we will
ever have”. The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the
meeting. Khalilzad was unavailable for comment.”
BBC
News: Afghanistan War: Taliban Tell Trump Their 'Doors Are
Open'
“The Taliban have told the BBC that their "doors are open" should
US President Donald Trump want to resume peace talks in the future.
Chief negotiator Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai insisted negotiation
remained "the only way for peace in Afghanistan" during an exclusive
interview. Mr Stanikzai's words came a week after Mr Trump declared
the talks "dead". Earlier this month, the two sides had appeared
close to a deal to end the 18-year conflict. Mr Trump had even invited
senior Taliban leaders and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to meet at
Camp David on 8 September. But a Taliban attack in the Afghan capital
Kabul on 6 September, which killed a US soldier and 11 others,
prompted Mr Trump to pull out, saying the group "probably don't have
the power to negotiate" if they were unable to agree to a ceasefire
during talks. Late on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
issued a statement condemning recent Taliban attacks, saying the group
"must begin to demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace". Mr
Stanikzai dismissed American concerns, telling the BBC the Taliban had
done nothing wrong.”
Pakistan
The
Guardian: Pakistan PM To Accuse Modi Of Complicity In Kashmir
'Terrorism'
“Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, is to follow a speech by
his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, at the United Nations general
assembly by accusing him of being complicit in the torture and mass
detention of protesters in India-administered Kashmir. Khan will use
his address in New York next week to highlight alleged atrocities
being carried out by the Indian army in the Jammu and Kashmir state
since Modi’s government revoked the region’s autonomy by abrogating
article 370 of the constitution. Sardar Masood Khan, Pakistan’s
former permanent representative to the United Nations who now acts as
president of the Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir state, said his
government believed as many as 10,000 people had been detained by
Indian security forces. Those numbers have been rejected by the Indian
government. Khan said: “These detainees include children, young men,
and people of all ages, and people from all walks of life. They have
been tortured. There is a BBC documentary with evidence: people have
been beaten up in detention, beaten up with sticks and cables and
excessive force has been used against them. And some of the witnesses
have said in testimony to the BBC and other news outlets, that they
would lose their consciousness and police officers would then use
electric shocks to revive them.”
Yemen
Arab
News: Over 14,000 Civilians Killed By Houthi Militia In 4
Years
“The Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militia has killed 14,000
Yemeni civilians, according to Bassem Al-Absi, member of the Yemeni
Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (Rasd coalition).
Al-Absi made the remarks in a speech he delivered to the Human Rights
Council’s meeting in Geneva, stressing that the humanitarian situation
in Yemen was becoming increasingly tense as Houthi militia members
continued to take control of the capital, seeking to open new
battlefronts throughout Yemen. “During the four years since the coup,
the militia has killed more than 14,000 civilians, including children,
women and elderly people, by sniping, planting mines, illegal
executions and death under torture, and there are more than 3,500
detainees in militia prisons,” he said. Al-Abdi said that the Houthi
militia attacked state facilities, destroying infrastructure and
private and public properties, blowing up houses and places of
worship, and violating childhood through conscription, killing,
mutilation and depriving children of education and health, which
disrupts the development process and contradicts the Human Rights
Council’s objectives of promoting the right to sustainable
development.”
Saudi Arabia
Reuters:
Saudi Arabia Promises Concrete Proof Iran Behind Oil
Attack
“Saudi Arabia promised evidence on Wednesday linking its main
regional adversary Iran to an unprecedented attack on its oil
industry, which Washington also blames on Tehran in a perilous
escalation of Middle East frictions. Iran, however, again denied
involvement in the Sept. 14 raids, which hit the world’s biggest crude
processing facility and initially knocked out half of Saudi
production. “They want to impose maximum ... pressure on Iran through
slander,” Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said. “We don’t want
conflict in the region ... Who started the conflict?” he added,
blaming Washington and its Gulf allies for war in Yemen. Yemen’s
Houthi movement, an ally of Iran battling a Western-backed, Saudi-led
coalition for more than four years, has claimed responsibility and
said it used drones to assault state oil company Aramco’s sites.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Saudi Arabia Set To Return To Normal Oil
Production Levels By End Of Month
“Saudi Arabia will soon restore most of its oil output and return
to normal production levels in weeks, the country’s energy ministry
said Tuesday, following the attacks last weekend on the country’s
facilities that hobbled the world’s largest oil exporter. The kingdom
has restored 50% of production lost in Saturday’s attacks as of
Tuesday, newly appointed Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman
said. He added that the kingdom is using reserves to supply oil to its
customers at pre-attack levels and normal production of 9.8 million
barrels a day will return by the end of September. Some Saudi
officials said a return to normal will take longer. Saudi Arabia
hasn’t directly accused Tehran of mounting the attacks, but the
country is increasingly confident that Iran directly launched a
complex missile and drone attack from its southwestern territory on
Saturday that battered the kingdom’s oil industry, said people
familiar with the investigation.”
Lebanon
Xinhua:
Lebanon Arrests Suspected Terrorist
“Lebanon's general security arrested Wednesday a Syrian national
belonging to the Islamic State (IS) who had planned to implement
terrorist attacks in Sidon, south of Lebanon, local TV Channel LBCI
reported. Investigations showed that the IS member entered Lebanon in
2017 in an illegal way while getting in touch with other IS members in
Syria to exchange ideas and spread the group's religious news. The IS
member also sent news to his group in Syria about people who
distribute food during the Shiite occasion of Ashura with the aim of
targeting these people with explosives. The IS member was referred to
judicial bodies for further investigations and other legal procedures.
Lebanon has been previously attacked by the IS group, who claimed
responsibility for an attack on the northern city of Tripoli on June
3, killing two members of the Lebanese security forces and two members
from the Lebanese Army.”
Middle East
International
Policy Digest: How Qatar Is Using Disinformation Tactics To Attack Its
Rivals
“The second half of this decade has been sharply defined by the
explosion of “fake news” and misinformation as an overt and viable
political weapon. While disinformation campaigns are nothing new—they
are, after all, a popular wartime tactic—the easy access offered by
the Internet amplifies the impact of such efforts. In the Persian
Gulf, disinformation has become a key tool to leverage information by
most states, but it has also been turned inward. In recent years,
escalating tensions between Qatar and neighboring Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been marked by a spike in the use of
disinformation to further each faction’s respective goals. Qatar
specifically has been repeatedly outed for its alleged editorial
interference in Qatari-owned Al Jazeera. However, as tensions continue
to simmer and a resolution seems distant at best, fake news is quickly
becoming the status quo for how these countries attempt to nudge the
other into some sort of action. The landscape highlights a fascinating
case study of how fake news can affect regional political
discourse.”
Egypt
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Egypt- UK Cooperate On Combating, Financing, Promoting
Terrorism
“Egypt has expressed its interest in developing relations in
various fields with Britain during the coming period in addition to
continued bilateral cooperation in combating, financing and promoting
terrorism. Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Ambassador
Amr Ramadan said during his meeting with British Minister of State for
the Middle East and North Africa Affairs Andrew Morrison that he looks
forward to bolstering and developing bilateral political dialogue.
According to a statement on the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s official
Facebook page, the meeting tackled means of boosting bilateral
relations in various fields. Ramadan stressed the importance of
building on the positive outcomes of the meeting between Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the new British Prime Minister on
the sidelines of theG7 summit, which was held on August in Biarritz,
France. The Egyptian and British governments agree on the need to
formulate new frameworks for the future of bilateral relations to
achieve the interests of both sides, the statement noted, especially
in light of Brexit decision. It said both sides also agreed that there
are great opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade,
industry, investment and services sectors.”
Libya
The
North Africa Post: Libya: Haftar Hit GNA-Aligned Forces Fighting ISIS
In Sirte
“Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan military commander, has pounded
positions of ally forces of the UN-backed Government of National
Accord (GNA) in the city of Sirte formerly controlled by the Islamic
state group, ISIS. The three air raids were launched Friday, Libyan
Express reports, adding that two strikes hit the Sirte Protection
Force’s personnel, killing at least two and injuring 18. Meanwhile, a
military source from Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) told Sputnik
Monday that at least 32 people were killed and over 50 were severely
injured in the airstrikes on Sirte. The Sirte Protection Forces, SPF,
believe some of the airstrikes were conducted by foreign drones. The
SPF condemned the raids noting that they hindered its efforts in
fighting ISIS and its sleeper cells as well as Gaddafi loyalists
willing to create chaos in the coastal city. The SPF also laid into
the alleged involvement of foreign drones in the raids as it called on
“all Libyans and international community to condemn the foreign
strikes on its forces”, Libya Express notes. Likewise, the High
Council of State (HCS) has expressed deep concern over the airstrikes
targeting the Libyan Army forces, assigned to protect and secure the
city of Sirte.”
Nigeria
Al
Jazeera: Ex-Boko Haram Fighters Face Their Hardest Battle:
Reintegration
“A ring with a big red glass stone sits on Mohammed Adamu's middle
finger. It is all that is left of the small jewellery business that he
tried to set up. "It reminds me that I need to push much harder to be
able to get out of here," he said. Adamu, 30, is a former Boko Haram
fighter who now lives in a refugee camp. He claims he was captured by
the group and joined in 2014, along with his wife and four children.
"In the beginning, I liked their ideology, everything happening in
God's name," he said. "But soon, I realised that it was all about
killing people. They just murdered without reason. So, I decided to
run away." They lived with Boko Haram, but one year into their
"captivity", fighters killed his family members, he said. In 2017, he
managed to flee. But reintegrating back into society has been near
impossible. After leaving, ex-fighters must complete a government-led
rehabilitation programme, which lasts up to one year.”
Somalia
The
Hill: Two Insurgents Killed In US Strike On Al-Shabaab In
Somalia
“U.S. Africa Command announced Tuesday that two suspected
al-Shabaab militants were killed by a U.S. airstrike in the
country's Lower Juba province after attacking a Somali government
patrol. The press release Tuesday from the Defense Department reported
that no civilian casualties were thought to have occurred. "In
coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S Africa
Command conducted an airstrike on Al-Shabaab insurgents after they
attacked a Somali patrol northwest of Kismayo, Lower Juba Province,
Somalia on Sept. 17," the statement read. The U.S. for years has been
engaged in airstrikes and other missions to support the Somali
government against al-Shabaab insurgents aligned with ISIS, and
Tuesday's strike indicated that insurgent forces maintain the capacity
to strike at Somali targets near the border with Kenya. An
airstrike conducted by the U.S. north of Somalia's capital of
Mogadishu in March killed dozens of insurgents. At the time, Africa
Command's deputy director of intelligence said such operations were
crucial to “maintain pressure on al-Shabaab and disrupt its planning
cycle and degrade its ability to mass forces and coordinate attacks
against the Somali people.”
Xinhuanet:
13 Al-Shabab Militants Killed In Offensive In Southern
Somalia
“Security forces in southern Somalia on Tuesday killed 13 al-Shabab
fighters during an operation in the Lower Juba region, an official
said on Wednesday. Abdi Nur Ibrahim Hussein, Jubbaland security forces
spokesman told journalists that the offensive was carried out by the
Somali army and Jubbaland state forces in many villages in Jamame town
as the forces inflicted severe casualties on the militants and drove
them out of the town. "Our forces moved from Bar Sanguni area passing
through many villages in Jamame and the fiercest resistance from the
militants happened in Koban village, but we finally defeated the
extremists killing 13 of them and burnt their vehicles and recovered
many weapons and ammunition," Hussein said. "Three of our soldiers
sustained injuries during the operation in which we captured many
villages in Jamame including Koban," he added. Locals reported
witnessing intense clashes in the town.”
Africa
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Tunisian Security Forces Arrest 2 Terrorist
Suspects
“Tunisia’s counter-terrorism security services arrested two
takfiris in the central Siliana region, suspected of belonging to an
extremist organization and preparing a terrorist attack. One of the
detainees is 17 years old, while the second is 43. They are known to
the security services and accused of harboring extremist ideology and
supporting terrorist organizations that have been active in the region
since 2011. A terrorist attack took place in Rouhia city of Siliana in
2011. A military officer and two terrorists were killed in the attack.
Tunisian security sources pointed out that the investigations with the
suspects will continue, pending a referral to the counter-terrorism
judicial authorities. The probe will investigate their relations with
other suspicious terrorist elements and the possible activities with
terrorist cells in the region.”
Bloomberg:
To Build A New Sudan, Take It Off The U.S. Terror
List
“The most useful thing President Donald Trump’s administration can
do immediately for Sudan is to take it off the State Department’s list
of nations that sponsor terrorism. That designation severely restricts
the country’s access to international aid, foreign investment and
remittances, all critical to the survival of the new civilian-led
government and to hopes for a smooth democratic transition in
Khartoum. But the White House should be mindful of the mistakes made
by the administrations of Barack Obama and George W. Bush, which were
too eager — and too credulous — in de-listing Cuba and North Korea.
And it should learn the lesson of the American experience with
Myanmar, where economic sanctions were removed too soon. Sudan has
been a designated sponsor of terror since 1993, and its new foreign
minister, Asmaa Abdalla, has made it her top priority to get her
country off the list. She has Egypt’s support, a welcome sign of
improved relations between the long-squabbling neighbors. Gulf Arab
states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, keen to
invest in Sudan, would welcome the removal of any restraints. The most
powerful argument for de-listing comes from Prime Minister Abdalla
Hamdok, a former United Nations economist.”
United Kingdom
The
Telegraph: Liam Fox: Britain Must Accept That Iran Nuclear Deal Is
'Dead'
“Britain must accept the Iran nuclear deal is “dead” and join
America in trying to force Tehran back to the negotiating table,
former defence secretary Liam Fox said tonight. Mr Fox, who was in the
cabinet until July, will use a speech in Washington to warn that the
2015 agreement was "flawed" from the start and that attempts to keep
it alive are "futile". The intervention is effectively a call for
Boris Johnson to join Donald Trump in withdrawing from the deal and
comes amid escalating tensions in the wake of the attack on two Saudi
oil facilities. Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday ruled out talks with
US officials “at any level”, appearing to end hopes of a meeting
between Mr Trump and Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, at the United
Nations in New York next week.”
Southeast Asia
Arab
News: Manila Calls For Collective Efforts To Combat
Terrorism
“The Philippines on Tuesday called for collective international
efforts to combat terrorism in the wake of strikes on Saudi oil
facilities. In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Vice President
of the Philippines Maria Leonor Robredo said that the attacks were a
“wake-up call” to the world and threatened not only her country’s
economy but also Filipinos working in the Kingdom. “I know for a fact
that Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of combating terrorist
activities. Now that we have heard of the recent attacks last week in
the Middle East, it is another wake-up call for all of us that the
threat is still there,” she added. Speaking at her office in Manila,
Robredo said that such strikes would have a negative impact on the
Philippines. “The attacks are not just expected to affect our economy,
but also the future of Filipino workers who reside there (Saudi
Arabia).” On Tuesday, Reuters reported a drop in oil prices. Oil ended
nearly 15 percent higher on Monday, with Brent logging its biggest
jump in more than 30 years amid record trading volumes. “My stance is
that attacks will continue if we will not step up as a community of
nations in really working together, doing collective efforts to combat
terrorism,” said Robredo.”
Technology
The
Wall Street Journal: Google, Facebook Cozy Up To Publishers As
Regulators Circle
“Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. are making concessions
long sought by news publishers whose business has been hurt by the
platforms’ dominance, moves that some in the media industry see as an
effort to pre-empt potential regulatory backlash. Google last week
announced changes to how it ranks stories on its news page to better
promote original content, addressing publishers’ long-running
complaints that their scoops were often overshadowed by quick rewrites
by other outlets. Facebook, meanwhile, is negotiating with media
outlets to pay them for the rights to publish their stories in a
special news feed on the social media platform, and will rely on
humans to determine which stories to feature, The Wall Street Journal
reported last month. “The platforms are finally recognizing the
massive role they play in our ecosystem and that pretending that they
are neutral distribution channels just doesn’t wash with regulators or
with the public either,” said Lydia Polgreen, editor in chief of
HuffPost.”
The
Hill: Why Strong Social Media Campaigns Will Not Stop The Spread Of
Terrorism
“United States counterterrorism strategy is based on the belief
that terrorism is the result of bad ideas rather than poor
circumstances. In emphasizing the importance of ideology, the United
States is continuing a long tradition of attempting to shape the
cultures and attitudes of other people without addressing their actual
problems. As a result, our leaders have been fighting terrorism on the
wrong battlefield. Efforts to counter violent extremism through
persuasion are nothing new. Since World War II, the United States has
invested in a range of traditional media efforts, including magazines
and radio news broadcasts, designed to shape foreign attitudes toward
the United States and combat the spread of pernicious ideology. The
ongoing battle against Salafi jihadism today has been similarly
framed as a “contest of ideas.” The traditional media remains a key
component of American efforts to counter violent extremist narratives.
In West Africa, the United States has supported the production of
radio dramas designed to promote peace and tolerance. In Tunisia,
USAID has partnered with the local theater associations and filmmakers
to organize performances to curb violence. The social media savvy of
terrorist groups like the Islamic State has fueled growing concern
about the radicalizing effects of the internet.”
The
National: Twitter Users Work Out Location Of ISIS
Supporters
“On Monday, ISIS’s elusive leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi re-emerged
with an audio message directed at supporters of the terrorist group.
Followers of Baghdadi, who is said to be badly injured, reacted on
social media from across the world as they posted images of support.
But at a time when it is nearly impossible not to leave some sort of
online footprint, experts in open-source intelligence set about
geolocating where the images were taken. Nick Waters, a senior
investigator at Bellingcat, was initially able to identify a number of
sites in Syria and Turkey. This included the last rebel-held Syrian
territory of Idlib, a park in Konya, Turkey and what appeared to be Al
Bab, a city in Aleppo Governate. Unsurprisingly, Syria, Iraq and
Turkey featured prominently. As the account published its revelations,
other Twitter users were inspired to look into more of the posts and
pinpoint the locations of those pledging allegiance to the terrorist
leader. Tomasz Rolbiecki, another open-source intelligence expert,
tracked down a photograph to Homs in Syria, near the Khalid ibn
Walid Mosque.”
Gizmodo:
With Senate Inquiry Looming, Facebook Scrambles To Look
Busy
““There’s been a general feeling from the platform companies of
kind of playing rope-a-dope with the Congress,” Senator Ed Markey told
a small audience gathered in the Federal Election Commission’s
headquarters around 9am this morning. Four hours later, Markey’s
well-informed inference was proven true yet again when Facebook
trotted out a new blog post titled “Combating Hate and Extremism,”
It’s surely no coincidence the image-troubled social giant is
scheduled on Wednesday morning—along with representatives from Twitter
and Google—to testify at the grimly titled hearing “Mass Violence,
Extremism, and Digital Responsibility” before the Senate’s Commerce,
Science and Transportation Committee (of which Markey is a member.)
Specifically, Facebook is expected to answer for its failure to act
during the Christchurch, New Zealand, shooting in March. While the
shooter murdered 51 worshippers in cold blood, the footage was
streaming live to the platform, then copied and reuploaded millions of
times.”
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